What Teams Pose The Greatest Threat To Miami?

What teams do you guy see as contenders next season to finally potentially dethrone the Heat?

Also, of these contenders you consider, what do you think they need to add to their team/roster if anything at all?

I know a lot of people will have Indiana as one and obviously they need to improve their perimeter play more than anything it seems, specifically ball-handling & shooting, but I'm not too sure who's out there or available that they can bring in to possibly be the difference. Lots of folks also just think & assume they'll have Granger back and that'll help them tremendously, but I feel it's very possible they look to actually trade him now for a player or two on the perimeter who can handle the ball better and maybe shoot as well. Plus he's obviously less needed now since Paul George has emerged so much (assuming they keep him locked up for a while).

Then there's the Chicago Bulls. Obviously everyone will be watching Derrick Rose's much anticipated (to say the least) comeback closely. Now there's no guarantee he'll return to the top player he once was (especially as the freak athleticism he possessed was a huge part of his game), but even if he (hopefully) does, I'm personally still not convinced that will be enough. It could be perhaps, but overall, I still think they need at least another legitimate scorer.

Lastly for me, there's Oklahoma City. They're obviously gonna' get Westbrook back & all, but with this current roster of theirs even then, I still feel they have to go out and add at least another piece. Not sure exactly who, but someone who can fit that role James Harden had a little better than what Kevin Martin has maybe. This much is clear though, ever since Miami whooped them in the Finals, they have been absolutely dominated by them (in my eyes). In fact, even worse than the scores have shown. I always felt San Antonio would have a better chance against Miami than OKC (especially without Harden despite him disappearing against them in the Finals ala Manu). So when Westbrook went down, I didn't feel as bad knowing San Antonio (posing the bigger threat) would more than likely get there.

Indiana and Chicago for sure. Even if Granger left which I doubt, the Pacers have a solid team and are even more familiar with the Heat now after playing them in consecutive playoffs. I feel like the third time will be the charm for the Pacers if they get to face the Heat again. Chicago with Derrick Rose will be right there as well. I'm just hoping the Pacers and Bulls don't face each other in the playoffs next year unless it's the ECF and Miami has already been eliminated because I want the Heat to have multiple chances to lose before they can even think about the finals.

As for the West, it's tough to say because I think this was the Spurs' last hoorah, and the Thunder suck against the Heat. Hopefully we will find a way to emerge as one of the top contenders.

Edited by LakersChamps243, June 20, 2013 - 10:42 PM.

"Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there" - John Wooden

Next year is gonna be a wasted year for us as Lakers fans. 2014 is when we should expect a championship if and only if the FA signings go as planned. As far as next year for the west, OKC is the obvious favorite but their playing style is not built for a championship. I think the Heat will get knocked out by either Chicago or Indiana simply because its very hard for teams to go to 4 straight finals.

They got by on the skin of their teeth and by playing teams with little to no playoff experience. When they came up against a team with experience they struggled. They are HIGHLY vulnerable in the paint.

Making three finals appearances in a row is absolutely exhausting. 4 and winning that 4th, next to impossible.

Complacency was a bigger issue to our failure in 2011 than exhaustion in my opinion. We were an average team all year long aside from that miraculous 17-1 stretch. The team just didn't have the same focus night and night out after winning that Game 7 versus Boston. Aside from Pau Gasol, no one on on that squad was seeing major minutes on the team. Phil did a great job managing rotations and minutes all throughout the year, but the bigger problem was that we weren't as sharp on either end of the floor. We should never have gone 6 games against a much weaker Hornets squad, and we should have been able to put up some resistance instead of allowing Dallas to just bulldoze us.

I expect the same thing to happen to the Heat, don't see them getting to another Finals berth.

Complacency was a bigger issue to our failure in 2011 than exhaustion in my opinion. We were an average team all year long aside from that miraculous 17-1 stretch. The team just didn't have the same focus night and night out after winning that Game 7 versus Boston. Aside from Pau Gasol, no one on on that squad was seeing major minutes on the team. Phil did a great job managing rotations and minutes all throughout the year, but the bigger problem was that we weren't as sharp on either end of the floor. We should never have gone 6 games against a much weaker Hornets squad, and we should have been able to put up some resistance instead of allowing Dallas to just bulldoze us.

I expect the same thing to happen to the Heat, don't see them getting to another Finals berth.

There were a lot of issues in 2011. Complacency was definitely one. But I wouldn't underrate exhaustion and injuries. Kobe didn't practice the whole season because of it and wasn't playing like a top 5 player due to his knees and what not. Other Lakers were also pretty beat up. After 3 straight finals the whole team had just amassed too many minutes. Then there comes the issue of focus. Phil in his book talked about how many people like Pau and even himself were distracted by personal issues. Combine it all together and it was a disaster waiting to happen.

Complacency was a bigger issue to our failure in 2011 than exhaustion in my opinion. We were an average team all year long aside from that miraculous 17-1 stretch. The team just didn't have the same focus night and night out after winning that Game 7 versus Boston. Aside from Pau Gasol, no one on on that squad was seeing major minutes on the team. Phil did a great job managing rotations and minutes all throughout the year, but the bigger problem was that we weren't as sharp on either end of the floor. We should never have gone 6 games against a much weaker Hornets squad, and we should have been able to put up some resistance instead of allowing Dallas to just bulldoze us.

I expect the same thing to happen to the Heat, don't see them getting to another Finals berth.

That Dallas series frustrated the crap out of me.

3 of those 4 games we'd beat Dallas for 3 and a half quarters and then suddenly after not biting on drive and dishes the whole game we bite in the final quarter for some unknown reason constantly and they got 3 after 3 after 3. UGH!

Fan Since:When Magic crossed over the entire Warriors team in like 88. Chis Gatling looked like he was gonna cry.

Fav. Laker:KB

Posted June 21, 2013 - 03:43 AM

there are no threats. No team in the NBA can beat them now.

Barring a serious injury or mass retirements on their roster they will win again.

The bench is their key.

Miller, Allen, Battier, Anderson, Haslem, Howard, Lewis.

All those guys were stars on former teams. Their an all star team over shadowed by Brons image. Doesnt matter if their all playing well or not. The odds are one of them will start hitting shot after shot. Battier in game 7. Miller in game 6. Allen in game 5.

Then theres games when 2 or more of them are hot like game 4.

Bron/Wade/Bosh will give you 60-70 points somehow to carry into the closing minutes. Then when Battier and Ray go a combined 4-5 from the 3 point line in those last 3-4 minutes its pretty much a losing scenario for whoever they face.

All those guys were stars on former teams. Their an all star team over shadowed by Brons image. Doesnt matter if their all playing well or not. The odds are one of them will start hitting shot after shot. Battier in game 7. Miller in game 6. Allen in game 5.
Then theres games when 2 or more of them are hot like game 4.

Bron/Wade/Bosh will give you 60-70 points somehow to carry into the closing minutes. Then when Battier and Ray go a combined 4-5 from the 3 point line in those last 3-4 minutes its pretty much a losing scenario for whoever they face.

They had their last two series go to game 7 and there are no serious threats? Not to mention they pretty much lost game 6 and the Spurs handed it right over to them.

You guys seriously think the heat will still be a championship favorite for next year? You can see that they are on their last leg this season and many people even said it. Even if the heat won (unfortnately they did) Pat Riley will probably trade Bosh or get rid of a lot of guys. They are not going to be a dominant team next year. If Lebron is smart, he would go to Pat Riley and say "get me better players around me or else I wont be resigning my contract for 2014".

MDA is an offensive genius. I hope he sticks to his guns and keeps doing what he does best: Run and Gun. That's the only way to coach.

Barring a serious injury or mass retirements on their roster they will win again.

The bench is their key.

Miller, Allen, Battier, Anderson, Haslem, Howard, Lewis.

All those guys were stars on former teams. Their an all star team over shadowed by Brons image. Doesnt matter if their all playing well or not. The odds are one of them will start hitting shot after shot. Battier in game 7. Miller in game 6. Allen in game 5.

Then theres games when 2 or more of them are hot like game 4.

Bron/Wade/Bosh will give you 60-70 points somehow to carry into the closing minutes. Then when Battier and Ray go a combined 4-5 from the 3 point line in those last 3-4 minutes its pretty much a losing scenario for whoever they face.

Complacency was a bigger issue to our failure in 2011 than exhaustion in my opinion. We were an average team all year long aside from that miraculous 17-1 stretch. The team just didn't have the same focus night and night out after winning that Game 7 versus Boston. Aside from Pau Gasol, no one on on that squad was seeing major minutes on the team. Phil did a great job managing rotations and minutes all throughout the year, but the bigger problem was that we weren't as sharp on either end of the floor. We should never have gone 6 games against a much weaker Hornets squad, and we should have been able to put up some resistance instead of allowing Dallas to just bulldoze us.

I expect the same thing to happen to the Heat, don't see them getting to another Finals berth.

Quick question: have you ever played sports?

Complacency?

Are you kidding?

Firstly, Kobe was injured. Not only his BAD knee, which was a problem, but also he evolved an elbow issue and then he twisted his foot(or ankle) severely against Dallas(reg season) and re-twisted it in the playoffs against the Spurs. He was not the ELITE player he was the year before.

Secondly, Gasol hit a decline that season.So many pointed at hoe many minutes Gasol was played by Phil and blamed Drew for delaying his surgery, instead of Phil for playing him THAt many minutes. I know D'Antoni wishes he could get that type of lee-way. lol

Then Bynum returned and was BETTER than Pau, so dynamics changed on the team. Don't think that chemistry wasn't affected.

Especially when you replace "little homies" with guys like Blake and Barnes, who Kobe and odom and whomever couldn't talk to in the same manner that they talked to Sasha and Jordan farmar, and Ariza, etc.

That wasn't complacency. That was getting our asses kicked by a better team. Same thing Shaq and Kobe felt after 3 straight Finals.